Honda Civic Sedan

The Honda Civic is a line of compact cars designed and produced by Honda. It was originally introduced in 1972 as a two-door vehicle. As of 2006, 7.3 million Honda Civics had been sold in the United States, and over 16.5 million had been sold worldwide. The Honda Civic Sedan was given a 7.8 rating by U.S. News, and was ranked 20^th in the affordable small car category and 8^th in the affordable compact car category. According to critics, the Civic is class-competitive thanks to its additional standard features and improved interior materials, but its cabin space and performance are only adequate.

Performance

The Honda Civic’s performance was given a 7.6 rating by U.S. News. The Civic’s comfortable and ride and balanced steering have been praised by test drivers and critics. The basic sedan has a four-cylinder engine that produces 140-horsepower and comes with a standard five-speed manual transmission. Buyers have the option of adding a five-speed automatic transmission if they desire. The Civic sedan with the automatic transmission add on should average around 28 mpg during city driving, and 39 mpg for highway driving, according to Honda. The 140 horsepower allows the Civic to have adequate power for driving around town and passing and merging on the highway. The brakes have a good pedal feel, the ride is very stable, and the steering is responsive.

Interior

One of the best aspects of the Honda Civic Sedan is the interior. This reflects in the 8.0 rating it received from U.S. News. This model has many more features than the previous model, and is made with higher-quality materials, which make the cabin much more attractive and pleasing. The upholstery are new and the faux stitching helps contribute to the more pleasing look. While there is no excess headroom for tall occupants, the back row offers adequate room for adults. The basic Civic Sedan has a standard for-speaker stereo with an auxiliary jack, Bluetooth, a rear-view camera, SMS text message function, and Pandora Internet radio capability. The Civic also has 12.5 cubic feet of trunk space.

Pros/Cons

The Honda Civic base model’s engine is not as strong as its competition, which is a big negative among critics. It also only comes with a five-speed transmission, while many if not all of the Civic’s competitors have six-speed transmissions. The 12.5 cubic feet of trunk space isn’t terrible, but some of the Civic’s competitors have more, and the overall cargo space in the Civic is lacking. This is partly because the rear and front seats are roomy for adults, which is a positive. The Civic also has an option for both automatic and manual transmissions, depending on the buyer’s preference. Critics have also praised the numerous standard interior features and balanced steering. The Civic also has very good gas mileage.

Other Features

Safety is one of the best features of the Honda Civic Sedan. It was given a 9.8 rating by U.S. News, the highest it received in any of the categories. It is one of the top performers in its class when it comes to safety. It comes with a rear camera to help drivers back up, a feature that has been widely praised. Other safety features include driver and passenger air backs, 4-Wheel ABS, front disc and rear drum brakes, traction control, emergency trunk release, and electronic stability control. It is available in a wide variety of colors, including Alabaster Silver Metallic, Crystal Black Pearl, Dyno Blue Pearl, Kona Coffee Metallic, Polished Metal Metallic, Rallye Red, and Taffeta White. According to the Honda website, the starting price for the Honda Civic Sedan is $18 165. This obviously increases depending on the features the buyer adds.